Gangster Paradise

Lyrics

(Michelle) You wanna tell me what this is all about?

As I walk through the valley of the shadow of deathI take a look at my lifeand realize there's nothing leftcoz I've been blastin and laughin so long, thateven my mama thinks that my mind is gonebut I ain't never crossed a man that didn't deserve itme be treated like a punk you know that's unheard ofyou better watch how you're talking,and where you're walkingor you and your homies might be lined in chalkI really hate to trip but i gotta, locAs I Grow I see myself in the pistol smoke, foolI'm the kinda G the little homies wanna be likeon my knees in the night,saying prayers in the streetlight

been spending most their lives,living in the gangsta's paradisebeen spending most their lives,living in the gangsta's paradisekeep spending most our lives,living in the gangsta's paradisekeep spending most our lives,living in the gangsta's paradise

They got the situation, they got me facin'I can't live a normal life,I was raised by the stripesso I gotta be down with the hood teamtoo much television watching got me chasing dreamsI'm an educated fool with money on my mindgot my 10 in my hand and a gleam in my eyeI'm a loc'd out gangsta set trippin' bangerand my homies is downso don't arouse my anger, fooldeath ain't nothing but a heartbeat awayI'm living life, do or die, what can I sayI'm 23 now, but will I live to see 24the way things are going I don't know

Tell me why are we, so blind to seeThat the one's we hurt, are you and me

been spending most their lives,living in the gangsta's paradisebeen spending most their lives,living in the gangsta's paradiseKeep spending most our lives,living in the gangsta's paradiseKeep spending most our lives,living in the gangsta's paradise

Power and the money, money and the powerminute after minute, hour after houreverybody's running,but half of them ain't lookingwhat's going on in the kitchen,but I don't know what's kickin'they say I gotta learn,but nobody's here to teach meif they can't undersstand it,how can they reach meI guess they can't,I guess they won'tI guess they front,that's why I know my life is out of luck, fool

been spending most their lives,living in the gangsta's paradisebeen spending most their lives,living in the gangsta's paradiseKeep spending most our lives,living in the gangsta's paradiseKeep spending most our lives,living in the gangsta's paradiseTell me why are we, so blind to seeThat the one's we hurt, are you and meTell me why are we, so blind to seeThat the one's we hurt, are you and me

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Meaning

Coolio’s song “Gangsta’s Paradise” is a testimonial of what life is like for an African-American male growing up in the ghetto. Such problems were real life issues for Coolio himself being born and raised in Compton, California.

"As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death/I take a look at my life and I see there's nothing left" — I freestyled that; that came off the top of the dome and I wrote that down. I thought about it for a minute, and then I wrote the whole rest of the song without stopping, from the first verse to the third verse. You know, I like to believe that it was divine intervention. "Gangsta's Paradise" wanted to be born; it wanted to come to life, and it chose me as the vessel.